Turnbutton assembly for cylindrical locks



May 12, 1959 v. MUTT ART TURNBUTTON ASSEMBLY FOR CYLINDRICAL LOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1956 INVENTOR V ncen Z Mulf'c Uf W ATTORNEY May 12, 1959 v. MUTTART TURNByTTON ASSEMBLY FOR CYLINDRICAL LOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi led May 15, 1956 8 I INVENTOR Vincenf Mu (tart ATTORNEY United States Patent M TURNBUTTON ASSEMBLY non CYLINDRICAL LOCKS Vinc nt Mut Do ner, C l fl, ssig or to p ent Lock Company, Fitchburg Mass a corporation of Ma achu Application May 15, 1956, Serial No. 584,993

6 Cla (CL 0-11 6) Th s in nt on ela es o ylindri l ocks and more Pa ticular to k y controlled y indrical l ks- Known to me is the provision of cylindrical locks particularly characterized as exit locks, which include a unitary knob assembly in which key controlled means on the exterior knob member is optionally dogged against actuation of a latch by push button means mounted on the inner knob. In more specific forms, such lock-inknoh cylindrical locks may include means to dog an outer knob member against actuation, while permitting latch retraction which however, under the influence of key actuation, releases the interior dogging control in the form of push button means. The latter form of latch thereby requires resetting of the push button means to dog the outer knob-controlled or key-Controlled retractor means with each operation of the inner knob member.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide in a door lock, particularly a cylindrical door lock assembly. of the exit lock type, an interior knob control for a locking bar element whereby the locking bar or locking means for dogging the retraction of the latch bolt by the outer knob assembly may be maintained in dogging position independently of any key actuation on the exterior knob for retraction of the latch bolt.

Thus, in accordance with my invention, I provide in a lock construction of a key-in-knob type, a turnbutton to dog the exterior knob by a tilting movement of a lock bar which is supported for axial projection along the knob assembly. In setting a turnbutton in accordance with this assembly there is included a mounting providing a relatively pivotal relationship between turnbutton actuating means and the lock bar, whereby key actuation on the exterior knob to effect latch bolt retraction will not disturb the dogging position of the locking bar, In this manner, an exitlock of the key-in-knob type is providedwhich may have the exterior knob dogged by setting'a turnbutton on the inner knob without disturbing the dogged position of the exterior knob, as by latch retraction, in manipulation of the inner knob or by latch retraction effected by key actuation through the key controlled means carried on the exterior knob.

To attain these objects, and such further objects as may her in or bche nafle pa nted ou I ma e re e ence to the accompanying drawing, forming a part here-. of, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view 01 a KQY- in-knob cylindrical lock assembly in one position;

Figure 2 s a fragmentary view of the construction shown in Figure 1, with the knob dogging assernbly moved to the dogging position.

Figure '3'is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fige 1.;

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5....-5: of Fig: re 1;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspectivev view 0t the-turnhu oa ssemb y- 2,885,880 Patented May 12, 9

My invention may be summarized as concerning itself with a class of key-in-knob cylindrical locks of the exit door type wherein an escutcheon assembly provides a support for independently rotatable, knob controlled spindles, each one of which is coupled with retractor means for latch bolt actuation upon rotation of the k lObs and/ or spindles coupled therewith.

In such assembly, the exterior knob is dogged by radially directed dogging means under the influence of a lock bar axially and tiltably movable under the influence of a turnbutton, which may be cammed upon rotation, to project and tilt the lock bar and hold the lock bar in projected position. Upon key actuation, the lock bar, hav ing a non-circular outline, maybe employed for transmitting rotary movement to the inner knob assembly, without disturbing the dogging portion of the exterio knob.

The resulting assembly permits retractor activation. of the latchbolt by the inner knob or by key actuation, without resetting, in each cycle .of operation, the established dogged position of the exterior knob;

Making reference to the drawing, I illustrate my invention in connection with a cylindrical knob assembly 10, which is arranged to be mounted upon a door 11, to extend through a transverse boring 12 coupled to a latch bolt casing 13, projecting through the end boring 14, in relation to the door frame 15 having the latch bolt strike aperture 16. In the illustration, there is provided a latch bolt 17 which is spring-projected in relation to the cas ing 13, the latter being supported by the end plate 18 on the door edge in the usual manner. Rearwardly, the latch bolt casing has a latch bolt shank guide 19 extending substantially diametrically across the boring 12.

The latch bolt shank guide 19 is supported in the boring 12 by means of the assembly comprising the inner and outer escutcheon support plates 20 and 21, and the tubular studs 22 and 23 which screw-threadedly clamp the escutcheon supporting plates 20 and 21 against opposite faces of the door by means of the screws 24. The tubular studs 22 and 23 engage the latch bolt casing guides 19 and cooperate with the end plate 18 to fix the latch bolt casing in the end boring 14, previously described.

The support plates 20 and 21 have inwardly directed annular flanges 25 and 26 forming bearings rotatively mounting the inner and outer knob spindles 27 and 28, respectively. The spindles 27 and 28 are tubular and carry inner and outer knobs 29 and 30, respectively. Each of the knobs 29 and 30 has a knob shank 31 and 32, held in an escutcheon bearing or hub 33 and 34, respectively. The outer knob spindle 28 has a pair of diametrically spaced lugs 35 extending in locked engagement through a retractor plate 36. The plate 36 has axially directed retractor arms 37 for engaging a pivoted retractor lever 38 by which the latch bolt shank 39 is engaged for bolt retraction in opposition to the spring projected latch bolt 17, previously described, details of which need not be amplified in view of the features of the invention herein claimed.

The retractor plate 36 has slidably mounted thereon in parallelism a dogging member 40, having a dogging nose 41 The dogging member is normally spring retracted by the spring 42. The dogging nose 41 may be projected against the biasing influence of the spring 42 into the dogging slot 43 formed in the flange 26, thereby to key the spindle 28 against rotary movement.

The inner knob spindle 27 is provided with a pair of axially extending diametrically positioned lugs 44 which engage a retractor plate 45, forming an end bearing on the flange 25, to hold the spindle knob assembly rotatably on the escutcheon support plate 20.

The retractor plate 45 is formed with a guide slot 46.

3 meat against rotation. The lock bar 47 may within limits axially slide in the guide slot 46 to have the edge 48 of the lock bar in contact with the edge 49 of the slot 46 the plate 45 under the partial biasing influence of the spring retracted dog 40 as well as that which will appear herebelow.

The lock bar 47 has at its outer end a T-shaped head 50 which is rotatably and tiltably mounted in a bearing aperture 51 of the cylindrical cap 52, to secure a relatively universal coupling of the lock bar 47 and cap 52. The latter is rotatably and slidably mounted in the spindle 27 as will appear herebelow. A coiled spring 53 has its opposite ends biased against shoulders 54 formed on one end of the lock bar 47, and at its other end against the plate 45 thereby further retaining the edges 48 and 49 intact.

The cap 52 is formed with a pair of struck up lugs 55 bent over and axially holding the turnbutton shell 56 and within which the head 50 is housed free for rotation and tiltable movement in relation to the bearing aperture 51.

The lock bar guide cap 52 is formed with a circumferentially directed slot 57, having an entrance portion 58 which is axially directed, and a terminal detent portion 59. Between the entrance portion and detent portion, the slot wall is outlined by a circumferentially directed camming edge 60, leading to a detent seat 61. l The cap 52 is arranged to cooperate with a follower stud 62 in the form of a protrusion struck up or formed on the spindle 27, which is arranged to enter the slot 58 to provide a coupling in the nature of a bayonet joint and has the terminal portion of the slot formed with a detent. It will thus be seen that inward pressure and a 90 rotation of the turnbutton 56 in relation to the follower protrusion 62 will feed the lock bar 47, bayonet-slot fashion, inwardly for the distance outlined by the slot 58 and camming edge 60, and conversely the outward limiting movement of the lock bar under the expansive action of the spring 53 being determined by the stop provided by the point where the cap 52 engages the knob 29 at the axially positioned bearing aperture 63 for the tumbutton 6 The inward driving of the lock bar 47 under the pressure feed and rotative action of the turnbutton 56 will move the lock bar 47 through the slot 46 in the plate 45. A camming edge 64 on the lock bar 47 during such driving movement engages the edge 49, to tiltably move the lock bar 47 about the head 50 as a center. The lock bar 47 has its free end 65 guided in the dog 40. Tilting movement of the lock bar 47 as described against the pressure of the spring 53 will thereby project the dogging nose 41 into the slot 43, dogging the spindle 28 with the flange 26. The end 65 of the lock bar 47 extends into a. lost motion slot 66 at one end of the turnbar 67, the latter being hingedly connected to the key tumbler plug 68 for operation by the key 69 mounted in the keyhole on the outside knob 30.

In operation, the lock bar 47 extends through an enlarged hole in the shank case guide 19 and a slot in the latch bolt shank 39. Rotation of the lock bar 47 in respect of the latch bolt casing guide 19 and shank 39, within limits, is permitted by the narrowed section 70 cut in the lock bar 47 for this purpose. The lock bar-47, however, is rectangularly shaped in cross section and extends in theslot 46 of the plate 45 to conform the same positively to rotate the spindle 27 and the knob carried thereby, as well as the retractor arm projecting from the plate 45 keyed thereto. The lock bar 47, in extending through the dogging member 40, passes through a bore hole 71 for limited free rotation in respect of the dog 40 andplate 36.

In operation, with the'assembly as shown in Figure 1, the turnbutton 56 is in the fully retracted position, substantially, axially maintaining the lock bar 47 as it is off he 7i,se of the carnl64 and releasing the dog 40 to retract the nose 41 from the aperture 43. Upon a rotation of the turnbutton 56 with inward projection against the biasing influence of the spring'53, the walls defining the slot 57 engage the follower protrusion 62 to tilt the lock bar 47, thereby dogging the outer spindle 28 as the dog 40 is moved into dogging position. (The dogged position is more clearly illustrated in Figure 2).

In this latter position, key actuation by the key 69 permits rotation of the key plug in the outside knob 30 and the turnbar 67 with it. Limited rotation of the key plug will transmit rotary movement to the lock bar 47, notwithstanding the dogged condition of the spindle 28 and flange 26, thereby to transmit the rotary movement of the lock bar 47 to the plate 45 with which it is keyed and carry the retractor arms with it, as well as to move the spindle assembly 27 as a unit.

By the construction shown, a set position of the tumbutton 56, as by a bayonet joint coupling, to project the lock bar 47 inwardly while it is universally connected, as shown in Figure 2, to dog the outside knob assembly, will in no way be altered by the subsequent key actuation of the outside knob plug in the actuation involving the rotation of the inner spindle 27 for retraction of the latch bolt through the medium of rotation of the plate 45 and the retractor arms carried thereby. In this manner, dogging of the spindle assembly 28 and knob 30 remains elfective as long as the turnbutton 56 has been inwardly projected and remains undisturbed as set in Figure 2, since key operation rotationally moves the entire spindle 27 and knob assembly mounted thereon.

Novelty is also attributed to the turnbutton mounting for the lock bar 47 in relation to the plate 45 and the slot formed therein comprising the cylindrical cap 52 axially and rotatably mounted in relation to the sleeve 27, whereby to project the feed of the locking bar 47, as described. Such additional features will be found from the relation of the cap 52 in its rotational movement to the inwardly directed stud 62, extending from the sleeve 27. In this construction, I form the cylindrically skirted cap 52 with the coupling 58, which is in the nature of a bayonet slot, and engage the same with the right angularly shaped protrusion stud 62, which is internally extended from the sleeve 27.

By this construction, a heavy, inwardly extended stud 62 is provided, in no way limited as to inward projection by the thickness of the sheet metal of which the cap 52 is made, leaving on the spindle an uninterrupted exterior surface over which the shank 31 of the knob may readily slide, without restriction or obstruction.

Internally extending the protrusion stud 62 from the heavier stock of metal of which the sleeve 27 is formed permits a minimum clearance for rotation and sliding of the cap 52 within the sleeve 27, and a more accurate relating of the center of the head 50 to the contact edge 48 about which the lock bar 47 is fulcrumed in its axial movement for tripping the dogging member 40 into dogging position.

By my construction, a rugged lug for the bayonet slot coupling is provided, without enlarging the clearance for the turnable and slidable cap 52, in which the complemental engagement is effected.

Reference is made to the speedy and ready mountability of the knobs 29 and 30 as they are sleeved upon the spindles 27 and 28, respectively.

In carrying out this construction, each spindle 27, 28 to receive the knobs 29 and 30 has a latch 81 which projects through a latch guide slot 82. The latch is biased by the spring ring 83 into which the tail of the latch is headed. The latch 81 is formed with a leading edge cam 84 faced toward the knobs and a trailing rear shoulder 85 which forms a tooth extending at an angle normal to the face of the spindle, from which the head of the latch projects.

The knobs 29 and 30 each has its clyindrical shank 31' and r spes iys y, ormant 1 kssrs s ot 86 and 87, respectively f I i i In the final position of the knobs, these slots, by a partial rotation, may be aligned with tool receiving openings 8 d 89 t rmed in the es u gq arin s 31 and 34, respectively.

Q k t moun th knobs without an p si l $99k the shanks 31 and 32 are sleeved over the spindles 27 and 28, respectively, until the leading edges of the shanks 90 and 91 encounter the cam face 84 of the latch 81 assembled on the spindles. When the keeper slot overlies the latch, the latch will project into the keeper slot to lock the knob upon the spindle and hold these parts keyed to each other for conjoint rotation, upon manipulating the knob.

By this construction it will be evident that quick mounting of the knob is thereby effected without the use of any special tools to depress the latch and the shank portions of the knob may be sandwitched into blind clearances between the escutcheon and the escutcheon keeper, to form a rigid construction.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cylindrical knob lock and latch set having a spring projected latch bolt and casing therefor and cooperating retractor means and a supporting casing therefor, a supporting escutcheon assembly for mounting said casings in a door, inner and outer tubular knob operated spindles, each independently rotatively mounted on said supporting escutcheon assembly, said spindles each having independently operative retractor coupling means, a locking bar supported by the inner knob spindle and slidably extending laterally into the outer knob spindle, dogging means for said outer knob spindle operatively connected with said locking bar, the combination having manually actuating means on said inner spindle for slidably moving said locking bar into dog actuating engagement, key actuated means mounted on said outer knob coupled with said locking bar and torsion coupling means keying said bar to said inner spindle for rotationally operating said inner spindle independently of the dogged condition of said outer knob, whereby latch retraction is eifected without resetting said dogging means.

2. In a cylindrical knob lock and latch set having a spring biased latch bolt and casing therefor, a retractor casing therefor coupled to said latch bolt, a supporting escutcheon assembly for mounting said casings, inner and outer tubular knob operated spindles independently rotatably mounted on said supporting escutcheon assembly, each of which spindles has independently operable retractor coupling means for retracting said latch bolt, a locking bar supported by the inner knob spindle and slidably mounted in said spindle, including spring means for retractive movement within said inner knob spindle, said locking bar extending laterally into the outer knob spindle, coupling means mounted in said inner spindle comprising a bayonet joint for holding said locking bar laterally extending into the outer knob spindle against the biasing action of said spring means, key actuated means on said outer knob spindle engaging said locking bar and torsion coupling means keying said bar to said inner spindle, rotationally to transmit retracting movement of the key through said bar to said inner knob assembly independently effective of said bayonet joint coupling means.

3. In a cylindrical knob lock and latch set having a spring biased latch bolt and easing therefor, a retractor casing therefor coupled to said latch bolt, a supporting escutcheon assembly for mounting said casings, inner and outer tubular knob operated spindles independently rotatably mounted on said supporting escutcheon assem- 1 bly, each of which spindles has independently operable retractor coupling means for retracting said latch bolt, a locking bar supported by the inner knob spindle and latera ly ext ding into t e a e k b s ind e a la t the sin aqt qp 9 a d, s in e ns ke a uate?! means on said outer knob spindle engaging said locking bar and torsion coupling means keying said bar to said inner spindle, rotationally to transmit retracting movement of the key to said inner knob assembly independently effective of said bayonet joint coupling means, said bayonet joint coupling having a turnbutton for actuating the same rotationally mounted on said inner knob.

4. In a cylindrical knob lock and latch set having a spring biased latch bolt and casing therefore, a retractor and casing coupled to said latch bolt, a supporting escutcheon assembly for mounting said casing, an outer knob operated spindle, an inner knob operated spindle, each independently rotatably mounted on said escutcheon assembly, each of which spindles has independently operable retractor actuating means, said inner knob spindle being tubular and having mounted therein a locking bar, supported by said spindle at one end, a guiding cap slidable in said inner spindle to which said locking bar is tiltably and rotatably connected adjacent the outer end of said spindle, said cap having bayonet slot joint coupling to said inner tubular spindle, spring means for biasing said guiding cap outwardly of said spindle and turn knob means coupled to said cap for projecting said locking bar against said spring means, said locking bar extending into engagement with the outer knob spindle, dogging means for said outer knob actuated by said locking bar, key operated means mounted on said outer knob spindle for rotationally actuating said locking bar and torsion coupling means keying said bar to said inner spindle to actuate said inner knob spindle and retractor means independently of the set position of the dogging means for said knob means.

5. In a cylindrical knob lock and latch set having a spring projected latch bolt and casing therefor, cooperating retractor means and a supporting casing therefor, a supporting escutcheon assembly for mounting said casing in a door, an outer knob operated spindle, an inner knob operated spindle, each independently rotatively mounted on said supporting escutcheon for independently actuating said retractor means, said inner spindle being tubular and having a locking bar supported by said spindle laterally and tiltably slidable therein, extending to said outer knob spindle, dogging means on said outer knob spindle actuated by the tilting movement of said locking bar, spring means within said inner knob spindle biasing said locking bar to and from axial alignment in said inner knob spindle, a guiding cap rotatably and tiltably engaging said locking bar, slidably mounted in said spindle, said guiding cap having bayonet joint coupling means with said inner spindle, manual means for rotatively actuating said cap to adjust said bayonet joint in retracting or projecting position, and torsion coupling means keying said bar to said inner spindle whereby said locking bar may be rotated to actuate said inner knob independently of the dogged condition of said outer knob, while maintaining the locking bar in outer knob dogging position.

6. In a cylindrical knob lock having inner and outer tubular knob spindles and follower means on said inner spindle, a locking bar coupled to the inner knob spindle and axially slidable, and tiltably mounted in said spindle, said bar including cam means arranged to cooperate with said follower means to tilt said bar laterally with respect to the axis of said tubular spindles, dogging means engaged by said bar and arranged to dog said outer spindle when said bar is tilted, mounting means for said locking bar comprising a cylindrical cap having a bearing opening, said locking bar having a head tiltably and rotatably References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schlage Feb. 12, 1935 Hirsch Nov. 25, 1941 Cerf Nov. 25, 1952 Gilbert Aug. 27, 1957 

